Here in zone 9 with only light frosts normally I had one live over 50 years outside against the south side of a two story victorian house. Sometimes it would get frosted back before the holidays but usually it would last until January. What you are doing sounds reasonable to me and good luck with it. Al

Candy, I've seen the most amazing poinsettias in the most incredible places! I'm not a poinsettia fan (once you've had to grow greenhouses of them, it sort of ruins it for you), so I don't mess with them at home, but am often amazed at some of the plants that I've seen in people's homes and shops. Good for you!!!

Just don't change anything that you've been doing!

And I meant to mention that though these plants are typically grown as temporary seasonal annuals, they are most definitely fairly long lived perennial plants.

Yes, hubby and I regularly cut ours back after they bloom and treat them as houseplants until they go outside as foliage plants. Before that though, they do redden up and being as small as they are, are just darling little plants with their beginning red leaves.
We have 4 now....one from Christmas of '03, 3 from '04.

This year we bought two new ones for Christmas from Costgo....big ...huge things they are...but
they are the worst ones for dropping leaves at the drop of a breath near them. I suppose they will last until I can cut them down as well and hopefully they'll do something outside this summer.

I too cut mine back in February, It takes a little time to get going but it does make a very nice foliage for summer.